Does the EU need a new European Security Strategy?

On 12 December 2003, the Council of the European Union adopted the EU’s first European Security Strategy ‘A Secure Europe in a Better World’. The European Parliament in its (November) 2006 report has called for a revision of the ESS in the year 2008. According to the EP this revision is necessary, because “geopolitical challenges have  evolved considerably ”. This vision is shared by a number of member states amongst which Sweden and France. President Sarkozy wants to have a new text adopted under the French EU-presidency in the second half of 2008. What are these new geopolitical and other challenges that make a revision of the current ESS necessary? Does a new ESS have to take into account factors like energy security or climate change? Is Russia to be considered as one of the new challenges for European security? Does the EU have to increase its military strength and what should the cooperation with NATO look like?

Speakers:
- Prof. Dr. Sven Biscop, Senior Research Fellow, Egmont - The Royal Institute for International Relations, Visiting Professor, College of Europe, Bruges
- Dr. Antonio Missiroli, Director of Studies, European Policy Centre

Moderator:
Claude Weinber, Director EU Regional Office Brussels, Heinrich Böll Foundation